In　the　aseismic　design　of　bridges,　shear　keys　should　not　only　restrict　the　superstructure　transverse　displacement　to　prevent　from　unseating,　but　also　void　transferring　the　excessive　seismic　force　to　piles.　Therefore,　shear　keys　are　commonly　designed　as　sacrifice　members.　Based　on　a　kind　of　novel　resilient　bridge　exterior　shear　keys,　four　shear　key　specimens　were　designed　in　accordance　with　current　Chinese　aseismic　design　guidelines　of　highway　bridges　and　tested　under　monotonic　transverse　loading.　The　damage　modes,　failure　models　and　mechanical　mechanisms　were　illustrated.　Parametric　study　was　carried　out　on　a　longitudinal　reinforcement　ratio.　Calculation　formulas　were　developed　to　predict　the　capacities　of　shear　key　specimens.　Compared　with　the　experimental　results,　the　calculation　formulas　can　reliably　evaluate　the　capacities　of　shear　key　specimens.　It　can　be　concluded　that　this　kind　of　resilient　exterior　shear　keys　have　excellent　displacement　capacity,　and　can　reduce　the　damage　to　cap　beams　and　abutments.　In　addition,　they　are　easy　to　be　repaired　and　replaced,　and　especially　suitable　for　performance-based　aseismic　design　of　bridges.　©　2016,　Engineering　Mechanics　Press.　All　right　reserved.